Many different approaches have been proposed with the aim of facilitating sound and successful information management (IM) and knowledge management (KM) practices within business contexts. These approaches seek to identify organizational factors (e.g. culture or information technology practices) or to suggest management processes (e.g. human resources management) required to establish environments conducive to IM and KM. Most of these approaches, often presented as frameworks (as they are referred to in this study) for organizational IM or KM, are exemplified by the following features.Firstly, they have emerged as unrelated notions, with little reference to each other or to foundational studies in the area. Secondly these frameworks are not based on any theoretical foundation. Thirdly, these frameworks have tended to focus on either information or knowledge management activities but not both, even though organizational IM and KM exist in a complementary and co-dependent relationship. The usefulness of these frameworks is made problematic by muddled use of the terms 'information', 'knowledge', 'IM' and 'KM', which are often transposed or used synonymously. The situation is further complicated by the inherent complexity of the organizational environments into which practitioners attempt to introduce information and knowledge management (IKM) initiatives. Early outputs of this research are explanations of how the terminology above is used in this study and a literature review that describes current IM and KM frameworks by analyzing their components. The literature review identifies current challenges in the research domain, including the need for sound foundation (referent model) on which future IKM frameworks can be based. A suitable referent model is proposed by integrating single and double feedback loops (from systems theory) with two concepts from the IM literature: IM processes and the domains of IM activity. Then, an interpretive multi-methodological research (MMR) approach is pursued consisting of three sequential phases: action research, transition and case study. The first phase, a 3-cycle action research project accompanied by a longitudinal descriptive case study and an embedded literature analysis, was conducted over a 31 month period. The key research outcome of the action research phase was a set of candidate enablers Information and Knowledge Management (IKM) in Business Contexts for organizational IKM, while the organizational deliverables included policies, strategies, process improvement and new information systems. The information gathered in phase one was rich and deep. However, in keeping with the goal of the research to produce a practical, useful IKM framework, the researcher sought a broader view from the IKM community. To achieve this practitioner view, a second research phase was designed to bridge the gap between the detailed examinations of IKM initiatives within one organizational environment, to the examination of IKM initiatives within other organizations. Therefore phase two - a transition phase - consisted of a series of surveys and interviews with IKM practitioners that explored their perceptions of organizational IKM activities and environments. The data collected in phase two supported the findings from phase one and informed the development of the case protocols for the third - case study - phase. In the third phase, six IKM projects in three organizations were studied. Documentary and interview data were examined to understand the relationships between IKM projects, the candidate enablers identified earlier in phases one and two, and other organizational factors implicated in IKM initiatives. When analyzed, the findings from the third phase converged with the data collected in the previous two phases, and provided a rich, deep and broad collection of material. The study culminates by synthesizing the data collected in the three research phases to (1) confirm a suitable referent model on which IKM frameworks can be based and (2) develop an integrated, multidimensional IKM framework that assimilates the referent model. The referent model, which is based on previous calls for IKM frameworks to have a sound theoretical foundation, incorporates two established concepts from the IKM literature: (a) the operational, analytical and strategic domains of IKM activity and (b) double and single loop feedback loops of systems thinking applied to IKM processes. The practical and flexible IKM framework, which assimilates these concepts, has three dimensions. These dimensions are (i) domains of IKM activity and feedback loops (ii) organizational enablers (iii) project context. It is envisaged that this framework be used by practitioners to identify and manage areas of the business environment that require attention to ensure success of IKM projects or initiatives.

Thesis (MPhil (Information Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Organizations depend on the availability of reliable and credible information to make informed decisions and to plan effectively. The Education Management Information System (EMIS) is used by all provincial education departments including the Free State Department of Education for collecting, verifying, analysing, storing and disseminating reliable and credible data for decision making and planning purposes. Through its efforts to improve information management, the Department of Basic Education introduced the South African School Administration Management System (SA-SAMS) to improve the management of data at school level and allow for the uploading of this data onto provincial databases. This study focuses on an analysis of the Education Management Information System to determine whether this information system, utilised by the Free State Department of Education, is reliable and credible or not. In order to answer the research question under study, the dimensions/constructs of information systems success, such as information quality, system quality, individual and organizational impacts have been used to evaluate the information systems under investigation. Chapter 1 introduces the topic and outlines the background and the accountability chain of the Free State Department of Education. Chapter 2 deals with the theoretical grounding. It discusses the topic of Information Systems, in particular what the criteria used to determine the efficiency and reliability of an education management system in the Free State Province are. Chapter 3 draws on the theoretical base outlined in Chapter 2, focussing on the Free State Province to model the EMIS system and identifying the crucial elements where empirical observations are necessary. In Chapter 3 the focus is on the empirical data collection based on the model as set out in Chapter 4. In this chapter the methodological concerns in respect of the collection of data are dealt with in detail, and the findings are reported. In Chapter 4 the implications of the findings are weighed up against the criteria as identified in Chapter 2 and conclusions are drawn on that basis. Lastly Chapter 5, which draws on earlier findings, presents the lessons learnt in doing this research, conclusions drawn therefrom, as well as the recommendations presented as a way forward to improve the gaps identified in Free State EMIS. The researcher’s informed conclusion is that EMIS, through the use of SA-SAMS, has improved the capturing of data at school level and that this has contributed to an improvement in the quality of data contained in the provincial database. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Organisasies is afhanklik van die beskikbaarheid van betroubare en geloofwaardige inligting ten einde ingeligte besluite te neem en effektief te beplan. Die Onderwysbestuursinligtingstelsel (EMIS) word deur al die provinsiale onderwysdepartemente gebruik, insluitend die Vrystaatse Onderwysdepartement, vir die versameling, verifiëring, analise, berging en disseminasie van betroubare en geloofwaardige data vir die doeleindes van besluitneming en beplanning. Deur sy pogings om inligtingbestuur te verbeter, het die Departement van Basiese Onderwys die Suid-Afrikaanse Skoolbestuurstelsel (SA-SAMS) ingestel om die bestuur van data op skoolvlak te verbeter en om voorsiening te maak vir die oordrag van hierdie data na provinsiale databasisse. Hierdie studie fokus op ‘n analise van die Onderwysbestuursinligtingstelsel om vas te stel of hierdie stelsel, wat deur die Vrystaatse Onderwysdepartement gebruik word, betroubaar en geloofwaardig is, al dan nie. Ten einde die navorsingsvraag van hierdie studie te beantwoord, is die dimensies/konstrukte van die sukses van inligtingstelsels, soos inligtingskwaliteit, stelselkwaliteit, individuele en organisatoriese impak, gebruik om die betrokke inligtingstelsels te evalueer. Hoofstuk 1 lei die onderwerp in en verstrek die agtergrond en aanspreeklikheidsketting van die Vrystaatse Onderwysdepartement. Hoofstuk 2 behandel die teoretiese begronding. Die onderwerp Inligtingstelsels word bespreek, veral die kriteria wat gebruik word om die doeltreffendheid en betroubaarheid van ‘n onderwysbestuurstelsel in die Vrystaatse Provinsie te bepaal. Met die teoretiese basis wat in Hoofstuk 2 uiteengesit is as vertrekpunt, fokus Hoofstuk 3 op die Vrystaatse Provinsie om die EMIS te modelleer en om die deurslaggewende elemente waar empiriese waarnemings nodig is, te identifiseer. In Hoofstuk 3 is die fokus op die versameling van empiriese data, gebaseer op die model wat in Hoofstuk 4 beskryf word. In hierdie hoofstuk word die metodologiese vraagstukke met betrekking tot die versameling van data in besonderhede behandel, en die bevindings word aangebied. In Hoofstuk 4 word die implikasies van die bevindings gestel teenoor die kriteria wat in Hoofstuk 2 geïdentifiseer is, en gevolgtrekkings word gemaak. Laastens word in Hoofstuk 5, gebaseer op vroeëre bevindings, die lesse wat uit hierdie navorsing geleer is, aangebied, gevolgtrekkings word gemaak, en aanbevelings word voorgehou as die pad vorentoe om leemtes wat in die Vrystaatse EMIS geïdentifiseer is, te verbeter. Dit is die navorser se ingeligte gevolgtrekking dat EMIS, deur die gebruik van SASAMS, die vaslegging van data op skoolvlak verbeter het, en dat dit bygedra het tot ’n verbetering van die kwaliteit van data in die provinsiale databasis.

Characteristics such as speed of reaction, order accuracy, operational flexibility and sustained quality have become fundamental in successful business today. The success of aligning a supply chain to attain these characteristics depends largely on the use of efficient communication and information technology. Communication between supply chain members requires that relevant information is transferred from its point of inception to the next point(s) of use. The transfer of information entails an efficient flow of information between systems, between systems and humans and between humans, which is directly associated with the effective interoperability between the various entities handling the relevant information. Accordingly, the realisation of interoperability will mean a faster information flow and, thus, an effective decision-making process. This research, therefore, will propose indicators and metrics for the assessment of the information flow efficiency of a business and, in particular, of a supply chain, examine the existing techniques of information flow measurement, and identify inherent weaknesses. New information flow efficiency metrics are developed and categorised into different indicators, which are based on the quality of the information as it is applied in finance, information technology and the principles of business performance measurements. This research will illustrate that these quality characteristics drive an effective and efficient information flow which, in turn, enables them to be used both as indicators and as associated metrics of information flow efficiency. Explorative analysis and statistical cluster analysis identified the most important indicators and associated metrics based on the results of a survey instrument designed specifically for this purpose. Scales were developed to facilitate the numeric assessment of the metrics and indicators. In order to prove the ability of the new indicators and associated metrics to differentiate between different levels of information flow efficiency, the new metrics were applied in sample organisations and the responses evaluated. This research lays an important foundation in terms of the ability to assess information flow efficiency which is, in turn, necessary in order to gain a better understanding of the performance of supply chains in a time where real-time information flow and electronic integration are becoming strategic business success factors. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2006-02-22Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:55:01Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 ramalho_ras_me_mar.pdf: 1796708 bytes, checksum: 69e8f1e101177977e8cba51e46079011 (MD5) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / No âmbito da gestão de recursos informacionais os modelos e métodos de organização e recuperação de informações sempre estiveram condicionados às tecnologias utilizadas, de modo que com desenvolvimento e intensificação da utilização das tecnologias digitais uma nova gama de possibilidades vem sendo incorporada aos processos de produção, armazenamento, representação e recuperação de informações, atingindo um estágio em que os modelos clássicos de organização e recuperação de informações precisam ser (re)pensados sob diferentes perspectivas, pois os mesmos não parecem ser capazes de solucionar os problemas identificados no ambiente Web, evidenciando a necessidade de desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias que permitam otimizar a recuperação de informações em ambientes digitais. Nesse sentido, os estudos relacionados ao projeto Web Semântica vêm destacando-se como uma nova perspectiva no desenvolvimento de tecnologias que possibilitem um aumento na qualidade e relevância das informações recuperadas, a partir do desenvolvimento de instrumentos que permitam descrever formalmente, em um formato que possa ser processado por máquinas, os aspectos semânticos inerentes aos recursos informacionais, contribuindo para a identificação e contextualização das informações disponíveis no ambiente Web. Deste modo, a proposição deste trabalho é a realização de um estudo teórico e metodológico de caráter interdisciplinar acerca do projeto Web Semântica, buscando favorecer a desmistificação dos conceitos e tecnologias subjacentes e avaliar em que medida a área de Ciência da Informação pode contribuir para sua concretização, ressaltando os possíveis reflexos destas novas abordagens tecnológicas em seu corpus teórico. Assim, apresenta-se um levantamento bibliográfico acerca do desenvolvimento da Internet... / In the scope of the information resource management, the models and methods of organization and retrieval of information were always conditioned to the used technologies, so that with the development and intensification of digital technology uses, a new scale of possibilities has been incorporated to the production process, storage, representation and retrieval of information, reaching a stage where the classic models of organization and retrieval of information need to be (re)thought under different perspectives, because they don t seem to be able to solve the problems identified in the Web environment, becoming evident the need of development of new technologies that allow to optimize the retrieval of information in digital environment. In this way, the studies related to the Semantic Web project have been detaching as a new perspective in the development of technologies that enable an increase in the quality and relevance of the recovered information through the development of instruments that allow describing them formally, in a format that can be processed by machines. The semantic aspects that are inherent to the information resources contribute to the identification and contextualization of the available information in the Web environment. In this way, the proposition of this research is the accomplishment of a theoretical and methodological study of interdisciplinary characteristic about the Semantic Web project, aiming to identify its theoretical basis, favoring the demystification of the concepts and subjacent technologies, and evaluating in what stage the Information Science area can contribute to its concretization, becoming evident the possible reflexes of these new technological approaches in its theoretical corpus. So a bibliographic review about the development of the Internet and the main concepts and technologies inherent to the Web Semantic... (Complete abstract, click electronic address below)

Thesis (MTech (Information Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007 / Over a period spanning approximately twenty five years Information Systems (IS) researchers have been plagued by the problem of how to evaluate IS effectiveness or success. After the advent of the World Wide Web (WWW) in the 1990s, questions have arisen regarding the relevance of previously established evaluation approaches to the evaluation of web-based IS. Subsequently, firms have invested billions of dollars anually in information systems but the lack of appropriate frameworks for evaluating their effectiveness made it difficult to determine the return on IS investment. In a period spanning 20 years IS researchers proposed a diverse number of approaches e.g. the communications research of Shannon and Weaver (1949) and the information "influence theory" of Mason (1978). These were subsequently incorporated into a single model in 1992, called the IS Success Model (Delone & McLean, 1992). The principal objective of this research project was to develop a generic methodology for web-based Information Systems (IS) success evaluation from a multi-stakeholder perspective for specific IS contexts. The Delone and McLean IS Success Model (Delone and McLean, 1992) provides an underpinning framework for measuring IS effectiveness. In the latter 1990's the concept of service-quality was introduced into the IS effectiveness literature. In their updated IS Success Model, Delone and McLean (2003) then included service quality as key measure in the evaluation of IS success. Consequently this research project focused on how service quality concepts could be applied as a measure of IS effectiveness within e-commerce. A 3-pronged approach to IS evaluation was proposed viz. identification of generic stakeholder groups such as e-Customer, sponsoring manager, internal users etc.; identification of the context of the IS evaluation for each stakeholder i.e. what is the main function and context of operation of the IS; and lastly identification of stakeholder specific e-SQ criteria. The study demonstrates that the success of IS deployed within online environments, could be evaluated and measured differently by each stakeholder for the various e-Service Quality (e-SQ) dimensions within a particular IS context. The study presents the results of an investigation into a web-based IS at a national telecommunications company in South Africa which was evaluated using e-Service Quality (e-SQ) constructs. The study demonstrates the operationalisation of an e-SQ instrument for the purposes of evaluating IS effectiveness amongst multi-stakeholders. Evidence is provided that measuring attitudes of different stakeholders provides a more holistic perspective of IS success. The primary conclusion reached is that by using a step-by-step methodology of IS success measurement, the objective of establishing whether companies have received a return on web-based IS investment, can be achieved. Furthermore, the outcomes of the study has contributed to existing literature on IS effectiveness measurement. In particular, it will add to the existing body of knowledge regarding the use of e-SQ instrument to evaluate multi-stakeholder perceptions.

A Memória Organizacional Histórica é constituída dos principais documentos que registram a trajetória de uma Instituição. Representa o legado dessa organização, disponível aos seus públicos internos e externos, de forma estruturada e dinâmica. As ontologias visam dar sentido ao conteúdos destes repositórios, valendo-se da relação semântica dos termos que representam esse domínio. Este estudo estabelece bases para a proposição de uma ontologia que sirva como modelo de referência no domínio da Memória Organizacional histórica, a fim de promover precisão nas respostas dos sistemas de busca e recuperação da informação. O universo dessa pesquisa é representado pelas empresas participantes do Fórum Permanente de Gestão do Conhecimento, Comunicação e Memória da Associação Brasileira de Comunicação Empresarial (ABERJE), que já possuem iniciativas em Memória Organizacional Histórica (MOH). A pesquisa identifica, entre outros aspectos, se estas empresas utilizam alguma forma padronizada de representação da informação, como vocabulários controlados, taxonomias ou tesauros. Como método para identificação desses instrumentos potencialmente adotados pelas Instituições objeto desse estudo, foi utilizada a pesquisa exploratória, com entrevistas em campo para coleta de dados, seguida de análise de conteúdo e descrição dos resultados obtidos. Pretende-se que essa ontologia sirva como um modelo de referência para projetos de Memória Organizacional Histórica, podendo ser extensível pelos especialistas do domínio a partir dos conceitos declarados e inter-relacionados nessa proposta: tipologia documental, coleções, assuntos cobertos pelo acervo, público-alvo e canal de disseminação das informações. Essa ontologia fornece também os subsídios necessários para promover o entendimento dos principais conceitos do domínio em questão e maior acuracidade na recuperação de informações dos acervos institucionais. A partir desses conceitos foi possível explicitar as relações entre os tipos documentais (a composição física de um acervo de MOH), se são itens individuais ou se compõem uma coleção, sobre quais assuntos tratam, qual o seu público-alvo (a quem é destinado) e por quais canais de disseminação da informação esses itens são entregues. Partindo de uma potencial necessidade de padronização da representação descritiva dos documentos e conteúdos dos repositórios, espera-se contribuir com um resultado de informações recuperadas que tenham relevância nos contextos de busca, aplicando-se aos repositórios a possibilidade de uso de uma estrutura ontológica no domínio de Memória Organizacional Histórica. / The Historical Organizational Memory consists of the main documents that register the trajectory of an institution. It represents the legacy of this organization, available to its stakeholders in a structured and dynamic way. The ontologies aim to make sense of the content of these repositories, using the semantic relationship of the terms that can represent the area. This work establishes the basis for proposing an ontology that serves as a reference model in the Historical Memory Organization field, promoting accurate responses from search engines and information retrieval. The universe of this research is represented by companies participating in the Permanent Forum on Knowledge Management, Communication and Memory of the Brazilian Association of Business Communication (ABERJE), which already have initiatives in Historical Organizational Memory (HOM). It identifies, among other things, whether companies use a standardized instrument of information representation, such as controlled vocabularies, taxonomies and thesauri. As a method for identification of these potential instruments adopted by the institutions used in this study, we used the exploratory research, interviews with data collection, followed by content analysis and description of the results. It is intended that this ontology will serve as a reference model for Historical Organizational Memory projects, which can be extended by domain experts from the declared and interrelated concepts in this proposal: types of documents, collections, subjects covered by the items, the target audience and information dissemination channels. This ontology also provides subsidies to promote the understanding of key concepts of the domain in question and greater accuracy in the recovery of institutional holdings information. From these concepts it was possible to explain the relationship between the physical composition of a HOM's collection, whether they are individual items or part of a collection, what subject they talk about, to whom it is intended and what channels of information dissemination are delivered. From a potential need for standardization of the descriptive representation of documents and content repositories, it is expected to contribute with the information retrieved as a result that is relevant in the searching context, providing the repositories the possibility of usage of an ontological structure in the Historical Organizational Memory field.

A Memória Organizacional Histórica é constituída dos principais documentos que registram a trajetória de uma Instituição. Representa o legado dessa organização, disponível aos seus públicos internos e externos, de forma estruturada e dinâmica. As ontologias visam dar sentido ao conteúdos destes repositórios, valendo-se da relação semântica dos termos que representam esse domínio. Este estudo estabelece bases para a proposição de uma ontologia que sirva como modelo de referência no domínio da Memória Organizacional histórica, a fim de promover precisão nas respostas dos sistemas de busca e recuperação da informação. O universo dessa pesquisa é representado pelas empresas participantes do Fórum Permanente de Gestão do Conhecimento, Comunicação e Memória da Associação Brasileira de Comunicação Empresarial (ABERJE), que já possuem iniciativas em Memória Organizacional Histórica (MOH). A pesquisa identifica, entre outros aspectos, se estas empresas utilizam alguma forma padronizada de representação da informação, como vocabulários controlados, taxonomias ou tesauros. Como método para identificação desses instrumentos potencialmente adotados pelas Instituições objeto desse estudo, foi utilizada a pesquisa exploratória, com entrevistas em campo para coleta de dados, seguida de análise de conteúdo e descrição dos resultados obtidos. Pretende-se que essa ontologia sirva como um modelo de referência para projetos de Memória Organizacional Histórica, podendo ser extensível pelos especialistas do domínio a partir dos conceitos declarados e inter-relacionados nessa proposta: tipologia documental, coleções, assuntos cobertos pelo acervo, público-alvo e canal de disseminação das informações. Essa ontologia fornece também os subsídios necessários para promover o entendimento dos principais conceitos do domínio em questão e maior acuracidade na recuperação de informações dos acervos institucionais. A partir desses conceitos foi possível explicitar as relações entre os tipos documentais (a composição física de um acervo de MOH), se são itens individuais ou se compõem uma coleção, sobre quais assuntos tratam, qual o seu público-alvo (a quem é destinado) e por quais canais de disseminação da informação esses itens são entregues. Partindo de uma potencial necessidade de padronização da representação descritiva dos documentos e conteúdos dos repositórios, espera-se contribuir com um resultado de informações recuperadas que tenham relevância nos contextos de busca, aplicando-se aos repositórios a possibilidade de uso de uma estrutura ontológica no domínio de Memória Organizacional Histórica. / The Historical Organizational Memory consists of the main documents that register the trajectory of an institution. It represents the legacy of this organization, available to its stakeholders in a structured and dynamic way. The ontologies aim to make sense of the content of these repositories, using the semantic relationship of the terms that can represent the area. This work establishes the basis for proposing an ontology that serves as a reference model in the Historical Memory Organization field, promoting accurate responses from search engines and information retrieval. The universe of this research is represented by companies participating in the Permanent Forum on Knowledge Management, Communication and Memory of the Brazilian Association of Business Communication (ABERJE), which already have initiatives in Historical Organizational Memory (HOM). It identifies, among other things, whether companies use a standardized instrument of information representation, such as controlled vocabularies, taxonomies and thesauri. As a method for identification of these potential instruments adopted by the institutions used in this study, we used the exploratory research, interviews with data collection, followed by content analysis and description of the results. It is intended that this ontology will serve as a reference model for Historical Organizational Memory projects, which can be extended by domain experts from the declared and interrelated concepts in this proposal: types of documents, collections, subjects covered by the items, the target audience and information dissemination channels. This ontology also provides subsidies to promote the understanding of key concepts of the domain in question and greater accuracy in the recovery of institutional holdings information. From these concepts it was possible to explain the relationship between the physical composition of a HOM's collection, whether they are individual items or part of a collection, what subject they talk about, to whom it is intended and what channels of information dissemination are delivered. From a potential need for standardization of the descriptive representation of documents and content repositories, it is expected to contribute with the information retrieved as a result that is relevant in the searching context, providing the repositories the possibility of usage of an ontological structure in the Historical Organizational Memory field.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of the Master of Information Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / The assignment of identifying Critical Success Factors (CSFs) for the successful implementation of the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems has become an important problem in the information system (IS) research. The necessity to identify CSFs becomes perceptible because of the failure often associated with the ERP system implementation in corporate organisations. The investigation and identification of CSFs will help cut costs of implementing ERP systems in organisations by giving higher precedence to the most critical factors. Literature has indicated that some factors of ERP system implementation labelled as critical are, in most cases, not critical for achieving success in the ERP system implementation. It can be argued that the inherent prediction error in the identification of CSFs is associated with the method employed for identifying criticality. Certain researchers have asserted that many of the studies on CSFs have based their findings on the use of content analysis method to identify and classify implementation factors of ERP systems as critical or not, rather than empirical findings. This intrinsic drawback has led researchers to suggest the use of sound scientific methods such as the structural equation modelling technique to identify CSFs to help guide the implementation of ERP systems in organizations. However, because of the limitations of the existing findings, the expectation is still much higher in effectively resolving the problem of identifying CSFs, in general. The overarching aim of this study was to determine those factors that are deemed critical for the successful implementation of the on-line registration system as an archetype of ERP system at HEIs. It was necessary to, firstly, identify common factors that have a significant impact on ERP system implementation and, secondly, to ascertain whether the identified factors are applicable in HEI settings, particularly to the on-line registration system. This study plans an in-depth exploration of the implementation of an on-line registration system with the identified factors forming the precursor to unearth those factors that are critical for the success of implementing on-line registration systems. The study has adopted a post-positivism mixed methods approach to identify and verify CSFs of the on-line registration system implementation, taking into consideration higher-order relationships between the factors. Data gathering took place using expert judgement with the involvement of role players in the implementation of on-line registration systems. The ADVIAN classification method provides the analytic tool for identifying factors that are deemed critical for successful implementation of on-line registration systems. The results reveal the existence of various dimensions of criticality with organisational culture and ERP strategy and implementation methodology emerging as critical factors, while the driving factors for implementation include ERP vendor support and guidance, senior and top management support, project plan with agreed objectives and goals, project management to implement project plan and project leader. It is established that the driven factors that should be observed when intervention measures are implemented include change management, post-implementation evaluation, software testing and troubleshooting, user training and user involvement. It is hoped that the CSFs discovered in this study will contribute towards the under-researched area of ERP and pragmatically aid the improvement of a process area that is in desperate need of business process re-engineering at HEIs. / M

Dwesa is a rural town situated in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province that has been selected as a testing site for an e-commerce project to address some of the challenges faced by the community. These challenges include difficulties stemming from poverty, poor access to public services, unemployment and low levels of literacy. The Siyakhula Living Lab project’s aim is to develop an e-commerce platform that will 'connect' the residents with the necessary access to services and markets by providing them with the necessary tools that can help in alleviating some of their challenges. In order for the project to achieve its objectives, a deeper understanding into the needs of the prospective users is required. User requirements elicitation deals with the process of interacting with the prospective users to understand and document their needs. This research aims at evaluating existing requirements elicitation techniques and methodologies in the context of rural information technology implementations. The primary objective is to develop a model for user requirements elicitation in Dwesa. Many requirements elicitation techniques and frameworks exist, but few have been evaluated in the context of rural software implementations. Requirements elicitation techniques should not be applied simply as steps to gather information. Instead this research project proposes a model that can be applied to assimilate the contribution of knowledge regarding the stakeholders, problem and solution characteristics, and other characteristics into the software development process for the effective elicitation of requirements.

Traditionally, social network analysis (SNA) techniques enable the examination of relationships and the flow of information within networks of human members or groups of humans. This study extended traditional social network analysis to include a nonhuman group member, specifically a document retrieval system. The importance of document retrieval systems as information sources, the changes in business environments that necessitates the use of information and communication technologies, and the attempts to make computer systems more life-like, provide the reasons for considering the information system as a group member. The review of literature for this study does not encompass a single body of knowledge. Instead, several areas combined to inform this study, including social informatics for its consideration of the intersection of people and information technology, network theory and social network analysis, organizations and information, organizational culture, and finally, storytelling in organizations as a means of transferring information. The methodology included distribution of surveys to two small businesses that used the same document retrieval system, followed by semi-structured interviews of selected group members, which allowed elaboration on the survey findings. The group members rated each other and the system on four interaction criteria relating to four social networks of interest, including awareness, access, information flow, and problem solving. Traditional measures of social networks, specifically density, degree, reciprocity, transitivity, distance, degree centrality, and closeness centrality provided insight into the positioning of the nonhuman member within the social group. The human members of the group were able to respond to the survey that included the system but were not ready to consider the system as being equivalent to other human members. SNA measures positioned the system as an average member of the group, not a star, but not isolated either. Examination of the surveys or the interviews in isolation would not have given a complete picture of the system's place within the group.